The 19-year-old is just a year removed from her first tournament as a professional on the LPGA Tour. She has zero career wins or top 10s. The world rankings place her behind 192 other golfers. Kang isn't even listed in the tour's players guide.

But on Sunday, she will play in the next to last group at the Kingsmill Championship.

Kang didn't quite keep pace with the leaders on Saturday — Paula Creamer enters the final round at 16-under, and second round leader Jiyai Shin is two shots back — but her 1-under 70 left her at 12-under and within striking distance of her first professional title. Kang is tied for third with Dewi Claire Schreefel, who is in her third year on tour and also seeking her first career victory.

"I made a lot of pars and (the course) was playing a little more difficult than (Friday)," said Kang, who is from Oak Park, Calif. "But I had a lot of fun, and there were so many cameras, and people out there were supportive.

"Just a lot of fun."

Kang is no stranger to success on the course — she won the U.S. Women's Amateur in 2010 and 2011 — but has yet to break through on the LPGA Tour. A year ago this week she entered her first tournament as a pro at the Walmart Northwest Arkansas Championship, shot two consecutive rounds in the mid-70s and missed the cut. She learned professional success doesn't come easy.

"Last year I wasn't mentally prepared for how professional golf was going to be. It takes time to get used to," Kang said. "People think you can come out here and just take over the LPGA. It's really not going to happen that way. You just have to take it day-by-day and learn from each and every tournament.

"It's a learning game. The LPGA makes you mature."

Kang's career best finish is a tie for 14th at the U.S. Women's Open in July. Since that time, she has finished deep in the field twice and missed the cut twice. Her career earnings total is $102,657, most of which came as a result of her Open performance.

But on a damp River Course at Kingsmill that has surrendered record numbers this week — Shin's first round 62 was a tournament record, as was Creamer's three-round total of 16-under — Kang has alternately soared and scrambled to remain in the top five.

Schreefel, who played in the final grouping on Saturday with Kang and Shin, was complimentary of Kang's game.

"She's a solid player. Hits the ball good. Aggressive — I like that," said Schreefel, who is Dutch. "I didn't get to see too much short game because she was on the green all the time."

Kang returned the praise.

"When she started off birdie-par-eagle, I thought she was going to make everything every time," Kang said of Schreefel. "She doesn't miss the green much, and when she does she's just very solid."

Kang tees off Sunday's final round at 11:40 a.m. along with Ai Miyazato and Stacy Lewis, both 11-under. Schreefel, the 2006 NCAA individual champion, will tee off in the final grouping with Creamer and Shin at 11:50 a.m.